ATTAIN Lab Opens At Drew- Hamilton Community Center

Vol. 39, No. 4 www.nyc.gov/nycha APRIL 2009

First-ClassU.S. Postage

PaidNew York, NY

Permit No. 4119

PAGE 7READ NYCHA’S FAIRHOUSING POLICY

PAGE 3SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMERYOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

ATTAIN Lab Opens At Drew-Hamilton Community Center

PAGE 11CHANGES IN RENT HARD-SHIP AND PET POLICIES

By Eileen Elliott

CONNECTED Assembly Member Keith Wright (left) andNYCHA Chairman Ricardo Elías Morales with young residents atthe new ATTAIN Computer Lab at Drew-Hamilton Houses inUpper Manhattan. The lab is one of five ATTAIN labs onNYCHA sites that offer Internet access and a wide range ofcomputer courses.

The digital divide is getting smaller! A grand opening ceremony washeld for the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA’s) fifthATTAIN lab which opened on February 27th at the Drew-HamiltonHouses Community Center in Harlem, with a traditional ribbon-cutting. ATTAIN stands for Advanced Technology Training andInformation Networking and the goal of the program, which is fundedby the State Legislature, is to increase access to new technologies ineconomically challenged neighborhoods. There are 37 ATTAIN labsthroughout New York State, administered by the State University ofNewYork’s University (SUNY’s) Center forAcademic and WorkforceDevelopment (UCAWD). The Drew-Hamilton Grand Opening washosted by Assembly Member Keith L.T. Wright, the UCAWD andNYCHA. Among the distinguished guests who spoke were NYCHAChairman Ricardo Elías Morales, Assembly Member Wright, DrewHamilton Resident Association President David Welch and UCAWDInterim Director William Chalmers. In his remarks, ChairmanMorales congratulated Mr. Welch on obtaining his GED at theATTAIN Lab at NYCHA’s Polo Grounds Community Center inManhattan, saying he was an inspiration. The lab will provide quali-fied facilitators and training for over 30 academic, occupational, andlife skills courses, utilizing 24 state-of-the-art workstations withbroadband Internet connectivity. The Drew-Hamilton ATTAIN Lab isopen from Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Other NYCHAlocations with the ATTAIN Labs are: Berry Houses and South BeachCommunity Center in Staten Island, Farragut Community Center inBrooklyn and there are plans to open a new ATTAIN lab soon at 303Vernon Avenue in Brooklyn. For information on the Drew-HamiltonATTAIN Lab, call (212) 306-3400.

SUPPORT City Council Members Melissa Mark Viverito, Albert Vann, NYCHA Chairman RicardoElías Morales, NYCHA Secretary Vilma Huertas, and City Council Member Diana Reyna atNYCHA’s Annual Legislative Breakfast.

NYCHA NOW MORE THAN EVER!NYCHA’s Annual Legislative BreakfastMEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY (NYCHA) RESIDENTS WHO

ATTENDED NYCHA’S ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST, HELD AT CENTRAL OFFICE IN MANHATTAN ON

MARCH 3RD, SHOWED STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY’S AGENDA IN THE COMING YEAR AS

EXPRESSED BY CHAIRMAN RICARDO ELÍAS MORALES. The meet-and-greet gives NYCHA anopportunity to make its priorities known to the City Council. Those priorities for 2009 are:obtaining 100% funding from the federal government, maintaining the State’s $3 millionallocation, working together to federalize NYCHA’s 21 unfunded City- and State-builtdevelopments, and aggressively implementing NYCHA’s “green agenda” to increase efficiency,and save money and the environment.

“We invited you here toshow you how you can helpus by knowing who we areand by understanding thatthis institution is an economicengine that helps keep thisCity going,” said BoardMember Margarita López inher introductory remarks.

NYCHA’s Green AgendaAfter commenting on the

Housing Authority’s 75thAnniversary and thankingMayor Michael R. Bloomberg,the City Council and resi-dents for their support, theChairman broached his maintopic of discussion, NYCHA’s“green agenda.”“We're moving forward

on a very aggressive agendafor the greening of NYCHA,”said the Chairman. “Throughour green initiatives wecontribute to saving theplanet by reducing green-house gas emissions andreducing the carbon footprint.

(Continued on page 7)

CITY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING

NYCHA Chairman Ricardo Elías Morales with BoardMember Margarita López presented testimony on NYCHA’sPreliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2009 to the City Councilat City Hall on March 9th. The Chairman emphasized NYCHA’scommitment to maintaining the proud legacy of publichousing as NYCHA celebrates its 75th Year. The Chairmantestified that NYCHA has been underfunded by the Federalgovernment for seven years in a row and has a deficit of $172million for the current year. The Plan is to reduce the deficit


ESTABLISHED 1970 • CIRCULATION 200,000

Published monthly by the New York City Housing AuthorityDepartment of Communications

250 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10007Tel (212) 306-3322 • Fax (212) 577-1358

nyc.gov/nycha

Michael R. Bloomberg...........................................Mayor

Ricardo Elías Morales ..............................................................ChairmanEarl Andrews, Jr. ..............................................................Vice-ChairmanMargarita López ...............................................................Board MemberVilma Huertas............................................................................SecretaryDouglas Apple ..............................................................General ManagerSheila Greene ........................Director, Department of CommunicationsEileen Elliott ...................................................................................EditorHeidi Morales......................................................Editor, Spanish EditionHoward Silver ....................................................Editor, NYCHA BulletinTischelle George.......................................................Online News EditorDeborah Williams..................................................................Staff WriterPeter Mikoleski, Leticia Barboza.........................................Photography

If you are interested in placing an advertisement in the Journal, please callour marketing representatives in the Office of Business and RevenueDevelopment at (212) 306-6616.The inclusion of any advertisement in thisJournal does not constitute any endorsement by the Housing Authority ofthe advertiser or its products or services or any other representation by theHousing Authority with respect to such products or services.

2 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNALAPRIL 2009

The Housing Authority

Journal

MoreThan 50,000 NewYorkers ClaimedCity Child Care Tax Credits TotallingMore Than $30 Million In The Program's

FirstYearIN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR, MORE

THAN 50,000 NEW YORKERS

CLAIMED THE CITY'S CHILD

CARE TAX CREDIT, ONE OF THE

FIRST MUNICIPAL CHILD CARE TAX

CREDITS IN THE NATION. The ChildCare Tax Credit, which isdesigned to help more familiesafford child care and help moreparents work full-time, is justone of many successful innova-tions under the Center forEconomic Opportunity whichoversees the City's ambitiousanti-poverty strategy. In 2008,New York City Child Care TaxCredit filers received more than$30 million with an averagerefund of $600.

The Department of Consumer Affairs' (DCA) Office of FinancialEmpowerment leads the annual Tax Credit Campaign. The City'sChild Care Tax Credit awareness and access efforts are part of anarray of initiatives that this Administration has quickly expanded tohelp NewYorkers make the most of the money they have earned andto help them weather the economic downturn. City residents whoearn $30,000 or less and pay child care expenses for children agethree and under may qualify for this local tax credit of up to $1,733.

Our Child Care Tax Credit is a successful program that is part ofour larger anti-poverty strategy. Coupled with the Earned IncomeTax Credit, the refund can be significant and help move hard-working New Yorkers up the economic ladder. An estimated 30,000NYCHA families are eligible for the EITC. Particularly duringthese tough economic times, all eligible families should be sure toapply so they can receive the money they deserve.

This year, as a safe and affordable alternative to professionaltax preparation services, the City expanded its Tax Prep Plusprogram to offer professionally prepared tax returns by a Tax Oneprofessional for only $20 at 12 community-based organizationsthroughout the five boroughs. Families earning less than $55,000and individuals earning less than $30,000 qualify. Tax Prep Plussites will not offer refund anticipation loans and other predatoryproducts to their customers, ensuring that consumers get everypenny of their refund.

New York City residents with dependents and who earn less than$45,000, as well as individuals who earn less than $20,000, are alsoeligible for free income tax preparation at one of the City's 54Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. Volunteers at theVITA sites will help residents file for the tax credits for which theyqualify including the Earned Income Tax Credit and the New YorkCity Child Care Tax Credit.

In 2007, New Yorkers claimed approximately $2.14 billion intotal Earned Income Tax Credits. VITA sites helped more than82,000 New Yorkers obtain an average Earned Income Tax Creditrefund of $2,600. There are 12 Tax Prep Plus sites which are run bythe City in collaboration with four partners: Food Bank for NewYork City, Project Hospitality, Arriva and Bedford StuyvesantRestoration. The Mayor's Commission on Women's Issues launcheda public awareness campaign on the Child Care Tax Credit programlast year at their Women's History Month event. The campaignincluded distributing and displaying posters, both in English andSpanish, on bus shelters and phone kiosks in targeted areas.

I urge all eligible New Yorkers to file for the Child Care TaxCredit and the Earned Income Tax Credit this season. It could be theboost you need to help you move up the economic ladder. Call 311for the location of the VITA site or Tax Prep Plus site nearest you.After all, it’s your money!

Michael R. Bloomberg

MAYOR’S MESSAGE THE FACES OF NYCHA

Call 311 for allnon-emergency

city services

YOU CAN TELL MARY MCGEE

USED TO WORK IN CUSTOMER

SERVICE BY THE WAY SHE SELLS

HER COMMUNITY. Once a retailemployee at Toys R Us and theHome Depot, Ms. McGee spentlast summer working at theParkside Community Centerwith children in the SummerDay Camp, in the Soundviewneighborhood of the Bronx andshe hopes to do the samethis summer. She said thatParkside is the “number onecommunity center in all fiveboroughs.” The vibrantParkside facility certainly lookstop notch, especially with thecolorful mural painted by thechildren and teens with thehelp of NYCHA’s HarborviewArts Program.

In the summer of 2008, Ms.McGee held the position ofNYCHA summer seasonalemployee for the second year ina row. “It was a fun-filledsummer!” she said enthusiasti-cally, filled with trips and lotsof arts and crafts projects, aswell as recreational activities.Two trips that stood out in Ms.McGee’s mind were to GreatAdventure, in Jackson, NewJersey, and to the LibertyBasketball Games at MadisonSquare Garden.

Also a NYCHA resident, Ms.McGee has lived for 14 years inthe Soundview Houses, whereshe is the Resident AssociationPresident. She spoke enthusias-tically about the state park,new baseball field, and land-scaping at her development.She said the development is onthe quiet side because it is farfrom everything, including thenearest supermarket, which isfour blocks away.

Ms. McGee encourages resi-dents to advocate for increasedfunding for public housing. Shewas chosen to speak withSenator Charles Schumer'saides when a large group ofNYCHA residents made thetrip to Washington, D.C. lastsummer to meet with theirCongressional representatives.

McGee herself representsNew York's diversity. Of Irishand Puerto Rican descent, herparents owned different busi-nesses when she was growingup, including a pizzeria.

In addition to being anengaged resident, Ms. McGeeis also an involved parent. Herdaughters, ten and 23 years old,are exactly 13 years and oneday apart in age. Ms. McGeealso has a grandson who is

Meet Soundview’s ResidentAssociationPresidentMaryMcGee

TOP NOTCH Soundview resident Mary McGee called theParkside Community Center, where she has worked as aseasonal employee, the “number one in all five boroughs.”

almost one year old. Though she has always been active in her chil-dren’s lives (for example, taking them to school every day), shestarted getting involved in a more organized way through LearningLeaders, a school volunteer and parent engagement program.Currently the President of the Parent Teacher Association and amember of the School Leadership Team, Ms. McGee says herdaughters are “lucky there isn’t PTA in college.”

Aside from her work on behalf of residents and children, Ms.McGee’s other priority is senior citizens. She used to call bingo at thesenior citizen center before she began her position at Parkside. Shemisses the seniors, who she says are like her second family.“Children are the future,” she says, “and seniors are our history.”Through her efforts with seniors, children, and all residents, Ms.McGee has contributed to respecting history, investing in the future,and preserving public housing.

By Ashley GrossoIntern

A Valentine to Remember—Valentine’s Daymeans much more to Mr. and Mrs. WilliamDouglas Hill than heart shaped boxes ofcandy and flowers — because it was onValentine’s Day 61 years ago that Sara met

William Douglas Hill. During their first yearof marriage, the couple moved into Marcy

Houses in Brooklyn, on January 10, 1948. Accordingto Sar,a her daughter Brenda Hill McWhite was the first child bornin the development.

Both Sara and William Douglas Hill are retired now. Sara wasan employee at the Health and Hospitals Corporation andWilliam was a NYCHAMaintenance Worker andUnion Shop Steward.

On February 13, 2009, Saraand William renewed theirwedding vows at the NewYork Marriott at the BrooklynBridge during the “BrooklynSweethearts Married 50+Years” event sponsored byBrooklyn Borough PresidentMarty Markowitz andhis wife, Jamie Snow-Markowitz. They celebratedthe day along with 300 othercouples who renewed theirvows, celebrating with cakeand champagne. The eventaired on Brooklyn Commu-nity Access Television(BCAT) on March 4th andMarch 11th.

Wow! Sixty-one years of marriage— it must be LOVE! Whatyou have is more precious than gold. I congratulate you! I wishyou many more years together!

NYCHA’s Commitment toTransparency

TOGETHER WITH NEW YORK

CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY

(NYCHA) VICE-CHAIRMAN EARL

ANDREWS, JR. AND BOARD

MEMBER MARGARITA LÓPEZ, IHAVE BEEN MEETING WITH RESI-DENTS TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF

WHERE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY

STANDS WITH REGARD TO OUR

FINANCES AND OUR PRIORITIES IN

THE CURRENT YEAR.We are working to provide

transparency in our budgetprocess. Transparency will giveyou, the more than 400,000 resi-dents who make your homes with

NYCHA, the information you need to continue to participate in theconstructive dialogues which are essential in our approach to themany administrative and operational issues we face.

Under the leadership of NYCHA’s Environmental and Sustain-ability Committee Coordinator Margarita López, NYCHA is imple-menting an aggressive “green” agenda which will have the dualbenefits of saving the Housing Authority money through increasedefficiency, while reducing our carbon footprint caused by greenhousegas emissions. As a leader in energy-saving “green” initiativesNYCHA has replaced old outdated hot water heaters with moreefficient instantaneous hot water heaters in hundreds of buildings.And we have installed 178,000 Compact Fluorescent Lamps(CFLs) in over 30,000 apartments. NYCHA’s lighting upgrades andwater heater replacement measures completed through 2008 willhelp NYCHA save more than $5 million in utility costs. This yearNYCHA anticipates greater reductions. Our green agenda includesan educational component, and we are working with residents tocreate Green Committees in your developments.

If you were among the 90 or so resident leaders who attended oneof our presentations, or you have seen our presentation at yourdevelopment, then you are aware that NYCHA’s budget for 2009includes an estimated deficit of $172 million. This deficit has beencaused largely by circumstances that are beyond our control, such aschronic underfunding by the Federal government, which continues inthe current year. Other contributing factors include the lack ofoperating subsidy for the 21 City- and State-built developments inNYCHA’s portfolio, skyrocketing energy expenses and non-nego-tiable labor-related expenses, such as the cost of health insurance foremployees and pensions for those who have retired. Simply put,NYCHA cannot sustain itself at our current level of spending.

In response to our structural deficit, NYCHA has made costcontainment a priority. We have implemented a green agenda, raisedrents, reduced staff, and closed some Community Centers.

The Housing Authority plans to reduce our current deficit to $45million by transferring $76 million from capital funds to operatingfunds, reducing Central Office costs by approximately $10 million.

One important initiative which we are in the process ofimplementing that adds to our revenue is the transfer of 8,400 units inthe 21 City- and State-built into the Section 8 program. These devel-opments do not receive any funding for operations from any source,so the Section 8 subsidy NYCHA will receive from the Federalgovernment for them is essential for maintaining operations at thesedevelopments. Once all 8,400 units are transferred we expect anadditional $75 million annually.

I’m pleased to announce that thanks to the support of MayorMichael R. Bloomberg, the New York City Council and the NewYork Congressional delegation, NYCHA will be receiving $423million in capital stimulus funds, enabling us to undertake significantcapital improvements.

As always, I look forward to working with you, NYCHA’s resi-dents, elected officials, unions, and NYCHA’s staff in creating a newNYCHA that will continue to meet the needs of low- and moderateincome New Yorkers for generations to come. NYCHA remainscommitted to maintaining its proud legacy.

Ricardo Elías Morales

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL 3APRIL 2009

DEBORAH’S DIARY By Deborah Williams

Sara and William Douglas Hill

NYCHA’s 2009Summer YouthEmployment

ProgramNYCHA is seeking youthbetween the ages of 14and 21 for the 2009Summer YouthEmployment Program(SYEP). SYEP issponsored by theDepartment of Youth andCommunityDevelopment (DYCD),and the 2009 programwill run from July 1,2009 through August 14,2009. Participants willwork 25 hours a week,Monday through Friday.NYCHA residency is notrequired to qualify forthe program.

NYCHA’s SYEPparticipants gainvaluable employmentexperience working inCommunity Centers asCounselors-in-Training(16 and 17 year oldsonly), or on NYCHAdevelopment grounds.Starting April 1st,interested youth canapply on-line ordownload anapplication from theCity’s Web Site:www.nyc.gov/dycd.Starting April 2nd, SYEPapplications will also beavailable at NYCHAdevelopmentManagement Offices,Community Centers andat the Department ofResident EmploymentServices, located at 350Livingston Street inBrooklyn. Completedapplications may bereturned to any NYCHAdevelopmentManagement Office. Thedeadline to submit anapplication is May 15,2009. For moreinformation about SYEP,please visit DYCD’s Website or contact NYCHA’sSYEP Program Director,Katrina Porter at212-306-3969.

It’s tax time.Go get your EITC refund!Tax season is here once again – which meansthat you could be eligible for tax credits andfree or low-cost tax preparation. Your familycould be eligible for up to $6,500 with theEarned Income Tax Credit (EITC). You mightalso benefit from the New York City Child CareTax Credit and other tax credits for parents,which could add up to an even bigger refund.CCaall ll 331111 oorr vviissii tt nnyycc..ggoovv//ooffee when youreceive your W-2 form(s) to learn more aboutyour eligibility for tax credits and to find aconvenient location near you that preparestaxes for free or for just $20.

CITY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARINGto $45 million for the currentyear by transferring $76million from capital funds tooperating funds, reducingCentral Office costs byapproximately $10 million,and continuing the transferof 8,400 public housing unitsin unfunded City- andSate-built developments intothe Section 8 program. Thistransfer will generate $75million annually whencompleted. There was also a

focus on NYCHA’s “greenagenda” and new capitalmoney from the secondEconomic Stimulus Package.(See Chairman’s Column atleft.) The Chairman alsonoted that he has beenreviewing NYCHA’s over-alloperations since hisappointment in Decemberand that the PreliminaryBudget does not reflect thefinal plan for dealing withNYCHA’s financial issues.

(Continued from page 1)

Are you a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) resident with afamily member who has served or iscurrently serving in the ArmedForces?

Are you a NYCHA resident who has lost afamily member in the Armed Forces?

NYCHA is looking to honor residents whoare currently serving or are veterans ofthe Armed Forces, or who are formermembers of the Armed Forces and are nolonger with us.

Please contact us at (212) 306-3322 or bye-mail at [email protected] and let usknow your name, address, the name of yourdevelopment, your telephone number, thename of the NYCHA resident who is or was inthe Armed Forces and their relationship toyou. We will contact you regarding theupcoming event. Thank you.

In this issue we continue publishing the names of individuals whohave been permanently excluded from our public housing develop-ments. The purpose of this list is to keep residents informed of theHousing Authority’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life forall New Yorkers in public housing and to allow for the peaceful andsafe use of our facilities. What follows is a partial list of the peopleexcluded after hearings were held on February 4, 11, and 18, 2009.For a full list of the “Not Wanted” visit NYCHA’s website atnyc.gov/residentscorner. Please note: These exclusions are based onNYCHA’s Administrative Hearing Process and should not beconfused with the Trespass Notice Program under MayorBloomberg’s Operation Safe Housing Initiative.

REMEMBER,IF YOU SEE ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ON

HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTY, PLEASE CALL YOUR MANAGEMENT OFFICE OR NYCHA’S

SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT AT (212) 306-8595.Prohibited as of February 4, 2009Josef Harper Case 389/09 formerly associated with the sixth floor of

5814 Farragut Road, Glenwood Houses, Brooklyn.

Glen Bowman, Sr. Case 482/09 formerly associated with the twelfth floor of1125 University Avenue, Highbridge Gardens, the Bronx.

Dwesley Johnson Case 424/09 formerly associated with the second floor of311 Osborn Street, Brownsville Houses, Brooklyn.

Lawrence Case 465/09 formerly associated with the sixth floor of Merrriweather 21-20 34th Avenue, Ravenswood Houses, Queens.

Prohibited as of February 11, 2009Raurice McLauren Case 7152/08 formerly associated with the fourth floor ofJamel Jenkins 335 East 112th Street, Jefferson Houses, Manhattan.

Junnie Torres Case 495/09 formerly associated with the tenth floor of 2375 First Avenue, Wagner Houses, Manhattan.

Emma Brown Case 494/09 formerly associated with the third floor of 644 Park Avenue, Marcy Houses, Brooklyn.

Frankie Louie Case 6169/08 formerly associated with the third floor of65 Manuel Roman Jefferson Street, LaGuardia Houses, Manhattan.

Charles Moore Case 6783/08 formerly associated with the second floorChristopher Moore of 80 Bush Street, Red Hook West Houses, Brooklyn.

Latona Allen Case 594/09 formerly associated with the sixth floor of 820 Henderson Avenue, Markham Gardens, Staten Island.

Michael Negeron Case 70/09 formerly associated with the third floor of Michael Negronna 2205 2nd Avenue, Jefferson Houses, Manhattan

Lawrence Terrell Case 285/09 formerly associated with the first floor of 40-10 12th Street, Queensbridge North Houses, Queens.

Keith Brown Case 628/09 formerly associated with the third floor of 240 Lockman Avenue, Mariner's Harbor Houses, Staten Island.

Fernando Ortega Case 596/09 formerly associated with the twenty-secondfloor of 2955 8th Avenue, Polo Grounds Towers, Manhattan.

Eduardo Santiago Case 618/09 formerly associated with the sixth floor of 30 Avenue D, Wald Houses, Manhattan.

Desean Loyd Case 619/09 formerly associated with the sixth floor of 81-10 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Hammel Houses, Queens.

Prohibited as of February 18, 2009Mannix Dixon Case 658/09 formerly associated with the second floor of

2242 Bragg Street, Nostrand Houses, Brooklyn.

Jonathan DeLeon Case 707/09 formerly associated with the fourth floor of29 Fleet Walk, Ingersoll Houses, Brooklyn.

Jerry Smith III Case 597/09 formerly associated with the sixteenth floorMarcus Futrell of 611 Crotona Park North, Murphy Houses, the Bronx.

Jose Hernandez Case 732/09 formerly associated with the eleventh floor of 2060 Third Avenue, Johnson Houses, Manhattan.

Nelson Simpson Case 7278/08 formerly associated with the third floor of162 Troy Avenue, Albany Houses, Brooklyn.

Tony Love Case 775/09 formerly associated with the fifth floor of 456 Richmond Terrace, Richmond Terrace, Staten Island.

Johnny Stevens Case 828/09 formerly associated with the fifth floor of 75LaSalle Street, Grant Houses, Manhattan.

Cliff Robinson Case 778/09 formerly associated with the fourteenth floorof 1428 Webster Avenue, Butler Houses, the Bronx.

For a full list of the “Not Wanted” visit NYCHA’s website at nyc.gov/residentscorner.

THE NYCHA NOT WANTED LIST


SAVE $ ON FOOD, APPLYFOR THE FOODCARD

The FoodCard is easy to apply for andworks just like a debit card. Call ‘TheFood Bank’ at 212-894-8060 forinformation and to see how much moneyyou can save on food. Specialists areavailable to help you from 9am-5pm,Monday through Friday. Adults of all agesare encouraged to apply.

It’s Tax Time!Are you expecting a

tax refund?If you haven't filed yourincome tax return yet….

Get going! Your return mustbe postmarked by midnighton April 15. If the thought of calculating your 2008 tax return overwhelms you,there's help. Find a free orlow-cost tax preparation site; they are availablethroughout the city. Call311 or visit www.nyc.gov for locations.

Beware of RapidRefunds

Be mindful of tax preparerswho offer a "rapid refund." The"rapid refund" is really a loanuntil the Federal governmentprocesses your return. Onenationally known taxpreparation company Ichecked charges a $29.99fee, up to $100 in interest, anda flat $31 "handling fee" —allof which is then deducted fromthe actual government refund.

The tax preparers whooffer this "service" may chargea low "teaser" rate for basictax preparation but have a listof additional fees foreverything from electronicfiling or document preparationto an extra cost for a"professional review." It’sbetter to prepare and file yourtaxes yourself, or get the helpof a tax preparation serviceyou located through 311, and simply wait for your full refund.

Read the fine print before you engage a taxpreparation service thatoffers quick refunds.

If you have filed yourtax return and have arefund on the way…

This may be the largest lumpsum of money you will receiveall year. Mentally, you mayhave spent it several timesover already. But before youcash the check to buy thatflat-screen TV, think about howyou can use that money to helpyou and your family becomemore financially secure. Whilecertainly less fun than a newTV, here are a few suggestionsto consider:

Your Financial Health...

The article below was submitted by Carol O’ Rourke,Executive Director of the Coalition for Debtor Educa-tion. It is the fourth in a serieson financial health.


This is the third article in a special series which will run each month in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Journal in 2009 commemorating the Housing Authority’s 75th Anniversary.


On February 17, 2009, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott presented aproclamation from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to NYCHA’s Board at aBlack History Month Celebration in honor of the Housing Authority’s 75thAnniversary. Shown in the photo above, from left, are: Deputy Mayor DennisWalcott, Vice-Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr., Board Member Margarita Lópezand Chairman Ricardo Elías Morales.

The first meeting of the Board of the newly created New York City HousingAuthority, February 20, 1934. Seated from left are: veteran socialist andgeneral manager of the Jewish Daily Forward, Charney B. Vladeck; NYCHA’sfirst Chairman Langdon Post, a former state assemblyman and head of theTenement House Commission; Vice-Chair Mary Simkhovitch, founder ofthe settlement organization Greenwich House. Standing are: Louis Pink, aformer settlement house worker and lawyer on the State Housing Board;and Monsignor E. Roberts Moore of the Catholic Charities of theArchdiocese of New York.

Photo courtesy of the LaGuardia Wagner Archives.

Are You a NYCHA Resident With FondMemories to Share?

To commemorate our 75th Anniversary, the New York CityHousing Authority is collecting photos and stories from

residents about your experiences living in public housing.How has being part of a NYCHA community had a positiveimpact on your life or the life of a family member? Perhapsyou attended a NYCHA-led job training workshop that

launched your career; or maybe a caretaker, developmentmanager or neighbor was instrumental in getting you helpwhen you needed it most; maybe you bonded with aHousing Bureau Police Officer as a child and decided tobecome an officer yourself when you grew up? If you havefond memories to share, we want to hear them! We willpost selected stories on the Residents’ Corner of our Website at www.nyc.gov/nycha and publish one story eachmonth in the NYCHA Journal. Please e-mail stories andphotos to: [email protected]. If you don’t have

electronic files to send, you can mail to:

THE NYCHA JournalDepartment of Communications 250 Broadway, 12th FloorNew York, New York 10007

Don’t forget to include your full name, age, the name ofyour NYCHA development and the number of years

you’ve been living in public housing. Also please makesure your return address is on the envelope if you would

like us to mail your photos back to you.

Ms. Victoria Johnson (shown in the photo below,center, with two friends) from General Grant Housesin Manhattan submitted the following poem to showher appreciation for public housing in response to

our call for fond memories.

“Public Housing”By Victoria (Vicki) Johnson, 1976

Public housing replaced City’s slumsFor tenants it surely was a treatLiving in the new modern suitesWalkways and lawns were greatChildren could run and playNever to be chased away

Public housing lifted up the mindThe living standards were fineFrom windows you saw the treesGreenery and beautiful scenery

From slums you saw a backyard, not a streetUnless the rent was steep.Landlords charged big sumsMany charged to see the sun

Glad I lived to see folks leave the slumsHope they appreciate public housing some.

75 Years of Public Housing


NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITYBoard Meeting Schedule

Notice is hereby given that the New York City Housing Authority’s Board Meetings take place every otherWednesday at 10:00 A.M. (unless otherwise noted) in the Board Room on the 12th Floor of 250 Broadway,New York, New York. The meetings for Calendar Year 2009 are as follows:

April 1, 2009April 14, 2009 (Tuesday)April 29, 2009May 13, 2009May 27, 2009June 10, 2009June 24, 2009July 8, 2009July 22, 2009August 5, 2009August 19, 2009September 2, 2009September 16, 2009September 30, 2009October 14, 2009October 28, 2009November 10, 2009 (Tuesday)November 25, 2009December 9, 2009December 23, 2009January 6, 2010

Please note that these dates are subject to change. Any changes to the schedule above will be postedon NYCHA’s Website at nyc.gov/nycha and in the NYCHA Journal to the extent practicable at areasonable time before the meeting. These meetings are open to the public. Pre-registration of speakersis required. Those who wish to register must do so at least forty-five (45) minutes before the scheduledBoard Meeting. Comments are limited to the items on the agenda. Speakers will be heard in the orderof registration. Speaking time will be limited to three (3) minutes. The public comment period willconclude upon all speakers being heard or at the expiration of thirty (30) minutes allotted by law forpublic comment, whichever occurs first. For Board Meeting dates and times, and/or additionalinformation, please visit our website at nyc.gov/nycha or contact us at (212) 306-6088. Copies of theagenda can be picked up at the Office of the Secretary at 250 Broadway, 12th floor, New York, New York,no earlier than 3P.M. on the Friday before the upcoming Wednesday Board Meeting. Any person requiringa reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the Board Meeting, should contact the Office ofthe Secretary at (212) 306-6088 no later than five (5) business days before the Board Meeting.

Join the more than 17,000subscribers who receive the NYCHAJournal online each month bysigning up at www.nyc.gov, or byvisiting NYCHA’s Web site at

nyc.gov/nycha.

At the the same time wesave NYCHA money byreducing fuel consumption and create ‘green collar’ jobsfor residents.”The Chairman thanked Board

Member López for spear-heading the Housing Authority’sgreen initiatives, as the head ofNYCHA’s Environmental andSustainability Committee.He also elaborated on recent

approval from the U.S. Department of Housing andUrban Development (HUD) forNYCHA to move ahead onits Performance ContractingBuilding Retrofit Programwhich will utilize state-of-the-arttechnology to retrofit buildingsand leverage future savings toinvest in infrastructure. TheChairman also mentioned thatNYCHA is working with resi-dents to form green commit-tees in the developments toraise awareness.

Council Members SpeakNearly all of the City Council

Members present voiced their support emphasizing theimportance of public housing tothe entire City.Council Member David

Weprin who chairs theCouncil’s Finance Committeewas the first to speak, telling thegroup, “The future of NYCHA isreally the future of New YorkCity. So many wonderful peopleand wonderful things started inNYCHA. We are going to workwith you. We want you toconsider the City Council yourpartner as we progress. We need NYCHA now morethan ever.”

Council Member MelissaMark Viverito praised theCouncil’s Public Housing Sub-Committee Chair RosieMendez, herself a formerNYCHA resident, for her lead-ership and support of publichousing and mentioned therecent announcement thatNYCHA will be getting capitalfunding from the stimuluspackage. “Our next battle is tomake sure we get dollar fordollar from HUD,” she said,referring to HUD’s long historyof underfunding. Other Council Members

who spoke included DanielGarodnick, who remarked that “with the new Administra-tion in Washington we havereason to be encouraged and hopeful at the same time.” And Council MemberDiana Reyna, former Chair ofthe Public Housing Sub-Committee, raised the issue ofthe importance of federalizingthe 21 State and City develop-ments in NYCHA’s portfolio sothat NYCHA receives moneyfor their operations.Council Member Albert Vann

spoke about the importance ofadequate resources for publichousing. Also attending wereCouncil Members Helen Fosterand Leticia James

Residents Add TheirVoices

Each of the resident leadersin attendance also had achance to voice their support.That support was eloquentlyexpressed by Queens Councilof Presidents (COP) Chair andWoodside Houses Resident

Association President AnnCotton Morris, when she said,“Speaking for the 20 develop-ments I represent as COPChair, we are ready to rock androll on any issue that is going to better our situation inpublic housing.” Other resident leaders who

spoke were Wise Towers Resi-dent Association PresidentVictor Gonzalez, ManhattanSouth COP Chair and IsaacsTowers Resident AssociationPresident Rose Bergin, City-wide COP Chair and Seth LowResident Association PresidentReginald Bowman, TildenHouses Resident AssociationPresident Marie Boone, Boule-vard Houses Resident Associa-tion President Inez Rodriguez,Bronx South COP Chair andHighbridge Houses ResidentAssociation President JoanneSmitherman, Reid HousesResident Association PresidentHyacinth Forrester and BlandHouses Resident AssociationPresident Craig Kinsey.

In Conclusion“We've been doing some-

thing right for 75 years,” theChairman said in conclusion.“We've been home to millionsof people who have gone on todo great things. We are aneconomic engine. We putmoney back into the economy.Our next 75 years are going tobe great. The concept ofgreening can save our planetand make NYCHA a vision forour country. Let’s work togetherfor that new NYCHA.”


NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITYFAIR HOUSING NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

It is the policy of the New York City Housing Authority to provide equalhousing opportunities for all qualified applicants and residents. In theselection of families and in the provision of services, there shall be nodiscrimination against any person on the grounds of race, color, religion,national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, familial status, maritalstatus, partnership status, military status, disability, lawful occupation,lawful source of income, alienage or citizenship status. This policy alsoprohibits retaliation.

This policy is in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Fair HousingAct of 1968, as amended by the Fair Housing Amendment Act of 1988,the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the New York State andCity Human Rights Laws.

Any resident or applicant who wishes to report housing discrimination or retaliation MAY FILE A DISCRIMINATIONCOMPLAINT (NYCHA 036.024) by contacting the Department ofEqual Opportunity from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Fridayor their development management office between 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM:

New York City Housing AuthorityDepartment of Equal Opportunity

250 Broadway, 27th floorNew York, NY 10007

Telephone (212) 306-4468Fax: (212) 306-4439TTY: (212) 306-4845

Or by contacting any of the following federal, state or cityhuman rights agencies listed below:

New York City Commission on Human Rights40 Rector Street, 9th floorNew York, NY 10006(212) 306-7500

New York State Division of Human Rights20 Exchange Place, 2nd floorNew York, New York 10005

(212) 480-2522

United States Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentOffice of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

26 Federal Plaza, Room 3532New York, New York 10278(212) 264-1290 Extension 7534

NYCHA NOW MORE THAN EVER! (Continued from page 1)

Centralized Call Center HoursChange for Scheduling RepairsTHE NEW YORK CITY HOUSINGAUTHORITY (NYCHA) IS CHANGING

THE HOURS DURING WHICH RESIDENTS

CAN SCHEDULE ROUTINE APARTMENT

MAINTENANCE REPAIRS THROUGH THE

CENTRALIZED CALL CENTER, OR CCC.Beginning April 6th, NYCHAresidents will be able toschedule appointments forroutine maintenance repairsMonday through Friday from6:00 AM to midnight. Additionalcall-takers will be available toaddress the high volume of callsreceived during this time sothat calls can be answeredmore quickly.Residents who call the CCC to

schedule repairs on weekends,holidays or between the hours of midnight and 6:00 AM will hear a recordingreminding them of the newhours. Call-takers will also askresidents who telephone toschedule a repair to call backat the appropriate time.

The CCC will continue tooperate 24/7 for emergenciesand public space issues, such aselevator outages, reports ofvandalism, broken intercoms,and other safety concerns.The change allows the CCC to use

resources more effectively duringhigh volume call hours. Visit NYCHA'swebsite at www.nyc.gov/nycha formore information.

NYCHA residents joined Chairman Ricardo Elías Morales (fourth from left) and members of the CityCouncil at NYCHA’s annual City Council Legislative Breakfast. Resident leaders shown above, fromleft are: Wise Towers Resident Association President Victor Gonazlez, Manhattan South Council ofPresidents (COP) Chair Rose Bergin, Tilden Houses Resident Association President Marie Boone, theChairman, Citywide COP Chair and Seth Low Resident Association President Reginald Bowman,Queens COP Chair Ann Cotton Morris, Bronx South COP Chair and Highbridge Houses ResidentAssociation President Joanne Smitherman, Reid Houses Resident Association President HyacinthForrester and Bland Houses Resident Association President Craig Kinsey.



SSPPRRIINNGG CCLLEEAANNIINNGG??PPLLEEAASSEE KKEEEEPP TTHHEEFFOOLLLLOOWWIINNGG IINN MMIINNDDWWHHEENN DDIISSPPOOSSIINNGG OOFFYYOOUURR TTRRAASSHH......

CompactorsCompactors are the machinesthat compress trash after it isdeposited in the hopperslocated on each floor. Pleasekeep in mind, compactors arefor trash not for recyclables!

Here are some rules to follow:

—Only throw into the hoppertrash that will slide downeasily. Don't force it! Takeanything that is too large forthe hopper to a designatedtrash area. Do not dispose ofany trash in hallways,stairways, elevators, lobbiesor rear exits. Call yourManagement Office if youhave a large quantity of trashthat you don't know what todo with, or something that istoo large for the hopper.

—Don't throw mops andbroomsticks, rags or oldclothes into hoppers; they willcause jams. Wrap or tie theminto bundles and bring themdown to the basement ramp,or if your building does nothave a basement ramp, to thebulk pick-up area. YourHousing Assistant will tell youwhere this is.

—Don't throw newspapers,magazines, wire coat hangers,cardboard boxes or otherrecyclables into the hoppers.Bring them to the appropriaterecycling container.

—Please, if at all possible,place your garbage in thehopper between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. When everyoneputs their garbagein the compactor during theevening hours, it can result injams that can cause healthand fire hazards.

AND, NEVER place burningmaterials in any compactorchute!

Please dispose of all trashneatly.

RecyclingRecycling your mixed paperand cardboard, and metal,plastic bottles and jugs, andglass is one way that you cancontribute to the preservationof our natural resources.


—Pay down the balance of acredit card. At 20% interest ormore, you'll save a lot and cutyour monthly spending byhaving one less bill to pay off.—Open an IRA account. Start saving for yourretirement years. —Start or contribute to your"rainy day" fund. You won'thave to borrow if you haveemergency savings to tap ifyou need car repairs, have amedical emergency, or loseyour job.

The good news…

The new stimulus packageincludes the Make Work Paycredit, worth 6.25% of earnedincome or a maximum of$400 to individuals makingless than $75,000 and $800for families with a combinedincome of less than$150,000. This means lesswill be deducted from each

It’s Tax Time!

paycheck for taxes. Thecredit will be spread overpaychecks over the year, soyou may see a little increasein your take-home pay eachpay period.




SSPPRRIINNGG CCLLEEAANNIINNGG??White and green containers and white dumpsters, usually

located near stairhall entrances or outside near building exitsare for paper products: newspapers, magazines, cardboardboxes, paper bags, old mail, catalogs, phone books, flattenedcorrugated cardboard boxes and paperback books. Do notrecycle Styrofoam, soiled paper plates and cups, paper towelsand napkins.Blue receptacles are for glass, plastic bottles and jugs, and

metal items. These include metal cans, aluminum foil, aerosolcans, small metal items and wire coat hangers. Larger metalitems, such as toasters and bed frames should be left at thedesignated drop site or on the basement ramp.If you have any questions about what to recycle, or where to

put it, ask your Housing Assistant or Building Caretaker.


To make a complaint or report any dangerous illegal animal on

NYCHA property, Call 311, the City's Citizen Service Center,

which is available 24 hours a day. If there is an immediate threat involving a dangerous or illegal animal, call 911.

Rent Hardship Policy RevisionsThe New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has changed its RentHardship Policy to allow residents to apply for an Interim Rent Changewhen there is a 5% reduction in gross income, the current rent is morethan 30% of the net income AND the reduction of income has lastedtwo months. The table below shows ALL the requirements needed for aNYCHA household to qualify for an Interim Rent Change based on thenew Rent Hardship Policy.

You can qualify for an Interim Rent Change IF:

The new policy reduces the waiting period from 3 months to 2 monthsof unemployment or long term disability. When a resident becomesunemployed or is on long term disability they are required to reportthe change in income to their Housing Assistant. If the reduction inincome lasts 2 months the housing assistant will recalculate the rent anda rent notice will be mailed to the resident.

Old Policy New Policy

There is a 10% reduction togross income, AND

Your current rent is more than30% of the net income, AND

The reduction in income haslasted at least three months.

There is a 5% reduction to grossincome, AND

Your current rent is more than30% of the net income, AND

The reduction in income haslasted at least TWO months.

Prohibited Breeds:NYCHA hasdesignated a variety of mixedand full breed dogs that cannotbe owned or registered byNYCHA residents. Theprohibited breeds are:

Akita InuAlangu MastiffAlano EspañolAmerican Pit Bull TerrierAmerican Staffordshire TerrierArgentine DogoBedington TerrierBoston TerrierBull and Terrier

Bull TerrierBully KuttaCane CorsoDogue de BordeauxDogo SardescoEnglish MastiffFila BrasileiroGull DongGull Terr

Irish Staffordshire BullKorea Jindo DogLottatore BrindisinoNeapolitan MastiffPerro de Presa Canario (Canarydog)Perro de Presa Mallorquin (Cade Bou)Shar PeiStaffordshire Bull TerrierTosa Inu

Weight Limit: Dogs withprojected full-grown adultweight that exceeds 25 poundsare not permitted. The previousweight limit was 40 pounds.Service animals are exempt fromany weight or breed restrictions.

Unless you registered yourdog prior to the implementationdate of the revised pet policy youare not allowed to own or registera mixed or full breed dog whichis a prohibited breed or isprojected to weigh over 25pounds when full grown.

Other Pets: Reasonablequantities of other pets arepermitted if not prohibited bythe New York City Health Code.Permitted pets include smallcaged birds (canaries andparakeets), fish, and small cagedanimals such as gerbils, guineapigs, and hamsters if theirnumbers do not create a nuisanceor unsanitary condition. You maynot keep animals prohibited bythe NYC Health Code, which

Changes to NYCHA’s Pet PolicyRESIDENTS OFTHENEWYORKCITYHOUSINGAUTHORITY (NYCHA) MAY OWN EITHER ONE DOMESTICATEDDOG OR ONE DOMESTICATED CAT PER APARTMENT, PROVIDED THE PET OWNER FOLLOWS THE REQUIREMENTSOF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY’S PET POLICY. However, because of an increase in biting incidents, beginningMay 1st, NYCHA will be implementing a revised Pet Policy to better ensure that development grounds andbuildings provide a safe environment for residents, visitors and guests. The revised policy includes a list ofprohibited breeds of dogs and a change in the weight limit for full grown dogs from 40 pounds to 25 pounds.Dogs which have already been registered with NYCHA before the implementation of this revised policy, whetheror not they are on the list of prohibited breeds or exceed the weight limit, are permitted.

are illegal anywhere in NewYork City, or animals deemed tobe vicious or dangerous.

Pet Registration and FeePet owners must register theirdog or cat with NYCHA on aone-time basis, at any time, butno later than the time of theannual review. The registrationincludes the completion of aDog and Cat VeterinarianCertification showing thatNYCHA pet requirements arebeing followed. There is aone-time, non-refundable petregistration fee of $25.00 for allresidents who do not reside atproject based Section 8developments. Service animals

and animals that live inbuildings designated exclusivelyfor senior citizens are exemptfrom the fee.

In Addition:Dogs must belicensed by the Department ofHealth and Mental Hygieneand wear their license tag whenin public. They must also be ona leash, six feet long or lesswhen in public.

Residents must comply withNYCHA’s Pet Policy as acondition of your lease withNYCHA. Visit NYCHA’s Website at nyc.gov/nycha to viewthe full pet policy.

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